


Day 14. Double

by Munnin



Series: Fictober [14]
Category: Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Mentions of other Clone Wars characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 11:55:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16284152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Munnin/pseuds/Munnin
Summary: Sometimes a mission needs more than one strike team.





	Day 14. Double

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't checked out Joe Hogan, the creator of Red Mist Squad by now, you should have! Because he's awesome.

Red Mist stood to attention as the door to the briefing room opened. Then relaxed as they saw it was another squad entering. Their armour was simple and plain. A single green flame on their right shoulder-bell their only ornamentation. Compared to them Red Mist looked radical in their highly customised armour. 

The captain of the entering squad removed his bucket and smiled. “I hear we’re doubling up on this mission.” Gel grinned. “Didn’t realise it was with you.”

Fordo smiled in return, clasping Gel’s forearm in greeting. “Been a long time, Captain.”

“Over a year.” Gel laughed, clasping arms with the other members of Red Mist. “Which isn’t long enough to get over what happened last time we met.” He turned back to his own squad, all starting to remove their buckets. “Never, and I mean never, let any member of Red Mist Squad challenge you to a drinking game. You will lose and there will be regrets. Trust me on this, lads. And learn from my mistakes.”

“I did try to warn you.” Fordo chuckled. “This must be Fire-Rider Squad. Heroes of the Battle of Alashan.”

“Survivors of the Battle of Alashan.” One clone corrected darkly. They were all quite young, barely a cycle out of training at a guess but already they’d seen the hardships of war. For all the clone’s youth, he had ugly scars around the top of his neck-seal and up one side of his face. “We’re named after the creatures that won the Battle of Alashan.”

Their sergeant, a good couple of batches older than Fordo, slapped the younger clone up the back of the head. “You got the shiny burnt off you on Alashan, Tone. Act like it. And address the captain correctly.”

Appropriately cowed, Tone lowed his eyes. “Sir, sorry sir.”

“We were all shinies once.” Fordo nodded, accepting the apology. “But it’s important to remember protocol when addressing a superior. Especially the Jedi.” 

“Speaking of which,” Gel said, “Any word which of the generals will be leading this offensive.” 

Before Fordo could answer, the door opened and General Kenobi entered. Both squads snapped to attention as a second Jedi entered. 

And Gel nearly dropped his bucket. “Commander?”

Djarrah looked up from his datapad and grinned brightly, reaching out to clasp the startled captain’s arm. “Gel! You made it.”

“Commander Vhetin. I heard… we were told you’d died. Your jump ring was damaged.”

“Came pretty close.” Djarrah nodded. “I ended up on the edge of wild space. Crash landed on my home world. I only got back to the core a month ago.”

Gel beamed. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Commander.”

Djarrah smiles back. “It’s general now. And I go by Djarrah, not Vhetin.”

“General Djarrah, sir.” Gel ripped a salute. “It’s an honour to be serving with you again.” 

“As it is to serve with you, Gel. Couldn’t ask for anyone better at my side.” Djarrah glanced over to Fordo and his squad. “And I’m glad to have Red Mist on this mission. Obi-Wan speaks highly of you.” 

Fordo touched his forelock, nodding in respect. “Thank you, General.”

Obi-Wan fiddled with the holo-display, bring up a topological map of a small green, blue, and orange world. 

“My world.” Djarrah announced softly, watching the small globe orbit slowly in the projector. “It had been protected from outside interference for a thousand generations by its proximity to Wild Space and dangerous subspace. But no longer. The Separatists have discovered the land is rich in rare ores and minerals, particularly cadengnesium. If allowed to gain a foothold they will strip mine the land. They have recently set down a refinery platform and are preparing to begin raping the resources of my world. This must not be allowed to happen.”

“While 212th and I deal with the refinery, and Anakin and 7th Sky Corps deal with the control ships in orbit,” General Kenobi began, zooming in on the map. “Red Mist and Fire Riders will attack the first mining convoy.” 

Djarrah pointed, the map, highlighting locations. “The terrain is treacherous to those who don’t respect it. For that reason, the refinery platform has been set up some distance from site of the cadengnesium deposit. In order to process the ore, it must be freighted from here to here. The local soil is rich with iron ore and iron sulphides. This interferes with the droid communication systems the Separatists rely on. Because of this, we expect the convoy to be overseen by T-series tactical droid.”

“The reason we’ve doubled up on the squads for this mission is that it has two separate objectives.” Obi-Wan continued. “First to prevent to cadengnesium from being delivered to the refinery. And secondly, to capture a tactical droid. Intact and functional.”

Fordo broke in at this point. “You want us to catch one of those things? Without damaging it?”

“Exactly.” Obi-Wan nodded. “It’s believed if we can reverse engineer the programming, we may be able to gain the advantage over them. The tactical droids have proven themselves both ruthless and resourceful.”

“Battle of Ryloth.” One of the Fire Riders said softly. “I read about that. A T-series tactical droid used Twi'lek captives as living shield during the attack. If we can stop that happening again, we must.”

Gel nodded, “Sok’s right, sir. We understand how important this mission is. You can count on us.” 

“There’s something else.” Djarrah added, bring their attention back to the map. “The land is sacred to my people. Taking from the land without giving back is the greatest violation imaginable. Metals like cadengnesium are mined and used only for the most venerated ceremonies. No cadengnesium, no ore of any kind can be allowed to leave my world. Not even the smallest scape. That is why we must stop the transports before they reach the refinery.” 

“Understood, sir.” Both Fordo and Gel said at once. Neither of them truly understood the cultural implications but they understood that when a Jedi said _this matters_ , it mattered. 

“General?” Crispy asked, “Will we have any support from the locals? You said the ore was sacred to them. Are they doing anything to stop the Separatists?” He stepped back sharply as the Jedi turned to look directly at him. Crispy had seen Jedi do some pretty scary things, like crush tanks and shove starships without touching them. But he’d never seen one of them look at him like they wanted to crush him like an empty ration, armour and all. 

Obi-Wan rested a hand on Djarrah’s arm, very much aware of the shift in mood. Something in that touch seemed to stem the violence in Djarrah’s eyes.

“No.” Djarrah answered, slowly and deliberately. “My people will not be supporting us. They have a deep and justified mistrust of off-worlders. While anyone else is with me, they will not interact with you in any way. You won’t even see them. But they will see you.” The threat was implicit. 

Obi-Wan stepped in, trying again to cool Djarrah’s temper. “The inhabitants have a profound connection to all life on their world through the Force. As such, it is our duty to avoid damage to the plant or wildlife. Harm no living thing if it can be avoided.” 

“Sir, yes sir.” The troopers chorused. 

Mollified, Djarrah nodded.

“We have very little time to prepare.” Obi-Wan acknowledged, “And the complications of the terrain are going to require you to follow Djarrah’s lead without question. He is the only one of us who knows this world. Tread light and may the Force be with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Josh, best beta ever.


End file.
